Chemicals React
by AvatarSatsuki
Summary: What if Slade had gotten over his obsession with a little bird and moved on to a OC member of his team? Would she be able to resist his charms in a time of pain, or will a mysterious Warden have something to say in the matter? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Behind The Mirror

_AN: I do not own Teen Titans, or Avatar the last airbender. The Character he's talking about is mine though. This is a test run to see what kind of fan reaction I get. all kinds of reviews are welcome. Please enjoy and keep in mind this is part of a personal fic._

_Chemicals React By AvatarAliceLynn_

_Chapter One - Watching_

_Slade POV_

_Watching. I've done it for so long. So long that it's become second nature, almost first nature, really. First it was my little bird Robin, then something much better caught my solitary eye. Soon I was obsessed yet again. With Robin almost everything was perfect, almost... There was always a sense that something was wrong. Was it the fact he was still just a boy, or did it have something to do with the disapproving glances I would catch from Will? I may never know, but it hardly matters anymore. As I said before, I've found something far better then the simple little bird I had wished to keep caged. As I sit here, reflecting on what wasn't meant to be, I sit here watching my newest vice. My little Avatar, my Satsuki, the newest addiction. The newest object of my odd affections, my newest sin. I still struggle with those indecent thoughts that threaten to swell up and drag me into the dark perversion ever night. Sometimes I give in, maybe tonight will be one of those nights. It all depends on how long I sit here, watching my little drug undress for her nightly shower... Maybe... We'll just have to see. For now, I'm just watching..._


	2. Pain Redefined

A/N: I do not own Teen Titans or Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'd like to thank Melimsah and , I think you both know why.

I've thought very hard about this story and where I want it to go, I believe it will start reflecting what I've been reading lately. And now to the much awaited continuation!

Chapter Two - Please, look at me.

Satsuki cleared the steam from the ceiling length mirror, running a towl along her face and arms. It felt nice to wash the dust and debris from the explosion off in the hot water. Though no matter how hard she scrubbed, how much water wasted, she could not erase the images of death and horror from her mind. Couldn't get the faces of the mangled deceased from the back of her eyelids every time she closed them. She shook her head so violently it caused large beads of water to hit the glass in front of her. Deciding to try and change the mental subject she looked in the bathroom mirror, standing as still as a statue. Her long wet hair clung to her neck and semi-exposed back.  
She pulled absentmindedly at the red towl tied around her pale body as her eyes stared back dully. _Why do I bother anymore? They don't notice if my hair is straightened, or if I apply even a hint of blush. They barely even thank me when I put dinner on the table! _Satsuki turned away from the refogging mirror and stomped into her large bedroom, sitting at the darkwood vanity. Her thoughts turned to what Beast Boy had wondered over dinner, talking as if she wasn't even there, about the explosion and how she was the first one on the scene so soon.  
"If only they knew..." Her breath coming out jagged as she ran the comb through her midnight locks.

She dressed into her uniform and using an air/fire bending mix to dry her hair. She sat back down the to blue glow of her computer moniter and pulled up her secret online diary. Changing all names and some events of the day, she vented through her fingers to anyone who would read. They all thought she was an author who was creating a fictional story and using the site as a marketing gimmick.  
She never gave any thought to her readers, she never gave much thought that she secretly wanted them to know it was her. She wanted someone she knew to understand her hurt, that she was seeking comfort. She wanted to be told those faces would go away in time, she wanted have someone watch out for her. She breathed a heavy sigh as she posted another lengthy entry, getting up from her chair and shambled into her large canopy bed.  
Across the city an email alert popped up a lower corner of the huge screen.

If only Satsuki knew someone _was _watching her, if only she knew just how much he truely noticed.

A/N: Woot! Another chapter, finally! Yes I know, it's not as good as some fics out there. Don't worry, I'll clear up any confusion over this "explosion" soon. Please don't think I'm creepy! I'm actually a sweet person who has a big fandom for Slade, the controlling, obsessive bastard that he is (in the show)! If you have questions about Satsuki's uniform, please contact me through here or Twitter. My handle is (whatelse) AvatarSatsuki.


	3. In My Dreams

A/N: I seem to be drawing more and more inspiration from german goth music. I don't know why. I know an author that can tell you who I'm listening to. This chapter may seem a little confusing. If so, comment and I'll try to clear as much of it up as I can, okay?

I don't own Teen Titans or Avatar: The Last Airbender. If I did, they would be showing them on basic tv!  
-

Chapter Three: In My Dreams.

_A warm breeze brushed over Satsuki's smiling face as she watched airplanes taking off and landing. The sun beaming down on her black hair, making it shine from the __observation deck. Her timid eyes checking the little piece of paper in her hand every few minutes, thinking she's getting the arrival time wrong. An older man steps up next to her and smiles. _"Been waiting here long?" _He asks her without turning away from the ballet of the metal birds._ "About a half hour. Is someone you know coming in from Japan as well?" _She replies and watches the man more than the planes. He shakes his head slowly and turns his dazzling smile down to her. Something about him strikes her __as familiar though she can't put her finger on it. They stayed like that for a minute before Satsuki turned her eyes up as the plane she was waiting for flew overhead. She eagerly watched the plane descend and touch the runway. It bounced slightly once, twice, then turned into an earth shattering fire ball.  
__The scene becomes a blur of sensory overload. When the mix of color to her sight clears, Satsuki finds herself standing in the fuselage_ _of the blown out plane. She hears no screaming, there is no one she can see alive to make such sounds. Her heart pounding in her ears and a body crumpled in a seat shifts, revealing a little girl with __tearstained eyes. _"Please, help me! I'm stuck!" _The child cried out as Satsuki rushs over to pull her from the seat belt and wraps her arms around the small body protectively. She takes a short glance around and her eyes fall on the crippling sight of two blonde girls, burned into her memory forever. She dashes from the plane, hopping through the wall of flame separating them from the fresh air.  
Her bare legs scrap the concrete when another smaller explosion sent her and the child forward. The girl looks up at Satsuki's face and smiles through her tears as they hear the rest of the Titans calling out to her. _"I knew I would be saved." _The child continued on seeing the confusion on the older one's face. _"They told me if I lived, then you would come for me. They were right, but don't worry, they all told me they loved you..." _Robin pulls the child away from a stunned teen, unaware of what was just said. Satsuki gets up and walks away from the wreakage, trying not to cry as she makes her way to her car..._

Satsuki bolts up in her bed, covered in a light sheen of cold sweat. No matter how long she meditated before bed it was the same nightmare. It had been two weeks since her parents and siblings were wiped out in the explosion. She refused to talk to anyone about it, not even her own team. She figured they wouldn't have understood her pain and fear. A light knock came at her door and she put her red silk robe on to answer. Robin stood on the other side with a concerned look on the visible part of his face. "Hey, you alright? I heard you yelling and screaming all the way down the hall." He looks passed her into the dark bedroom, seeing nothing. "Yes, I'm fine. Just another nightmare. I can't seem to shake the sight out of my mind of all those people..." He nods and tries to smile. "But think of what you did, you saved that little girl, Satsuki. Don't beat yourself up for something you couldn't change." They fall silent for a few seconds before bidding one another goodnight and the door slides closed. Satsuki sits down at her desk and turns the computer on, finally ready to open up to someone, anyone who would understand.

-  
A/N: I know, it's depressing! Try writing this crap! There, explosion explained. Was this one good? Review to let me know.


	4. Talk Like That

A/N: I'm not sure how good this is going to be. My Betta fish just died tonight, so I'm just a wee bit depressed. I wanted to get this chapter written because I have a special one lined up for Halloween. It's my favorite holiday.

Alright I have a bit to add here. I want to deeply thank the lovely Wynja for her idea in planting the bug and false web site into the obsession's computer! If you don't know who this author is… Where the heck have you been people? Look her up!

I don't own Teen Titans or Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'll fight you for them though.

Chapter Four - Talk Like That.

Part One: Slade

It was easy to gain access to her personal computer. It was even easier to plant the harmless Spywear that has the advertisement pop up on most of her most trafficked

sites. He actually had a bit of fun with the idea, creating a trap for his drug. A simple as that read:

'Saw someone in the store, but never asked their name? Couldn't get the courage to make that first move? Find them here, read descriptions from people in your area. Who knows, someone might be searching for you.'

It was perfect. All he had to do was create false profiles and descriptions, then the one real one for her. The sound of keys clicking stopped after several minutes as I review my work.

'Looking for the teenage girl from the Jump City Airport the day of October 5th. We met but I did not get the chance to introduce myself before the tragic explosion.

I am wondering if you are alright, seeing as how you practically threw yourself off of the observation deck. You landed hard on your feet and just started running. I thought you were breathtaking in the bright sunlight. You have very long black hair, large green eyes, and pale skin. You remind me quite a bit of the Teen Titan, Satsuki.

If you somehow find this I would like to talk to you.

Concerned stranger, Wade.'

Now all I can do is wait and hope that she's drawn in.

Part Two: Satsuki

'_Another night, another nightmare. It's getting harder to explain them away to my teammates. Robin tells me he understands, but does he really? How can he, how can any of them? Another night of sitting at the computer, playing silly little games to pass my time. I don't want to sleep anymore, I am tired of the terror. Of the pain, of the mourning, of the images that just keep playing over and over again in my mind_.' Satsuki stretches after typing her post and takes a look at the web page itself. An advertisement in red catches her focus and she reads it quietly to herself.

"Someone searching for me? I highly doubt that..." She clicks on it anyway and is taken to a separate site where she's asked to sign in. She signs up to the free site and starts to browse what people have posted. She found the search feature where she entered her city, one result showed up. As she read it, her heart sank. It was the handsome stranger from the airport that day... He was looking for her. She looked to the side of the page and found chat enabled, he was online. Hesitantly, she clicked his screen name and watched the chat window pop up.

'_Hello, I saw your post on the site. I believe I am the girl you are looking for... Are you the tall man with the white hair and blue eyes?'_ For the longest minute there was no reply, then she heard the chime and his text showed on the screen. _'Yes, that would be me. I couldn't get your face out of my mind. Your scream scared me. I tried to hold you back when you jumped, but you were just too fast. How are you feeling?' _There is was, the question she had been avoiding for weeks now. It was now or never for her.

_'Now that you ask, I'm not doing so well. You see, I lost my parents and both my siblings that day. I've been experiencing horrible nightterrors, I just can't shake it...' _

The conversation continued on for some time, with him talking her through everything that happened that day and beyond. She seems to lighten up considerably through out the of the chat. He seems to really care about how she felt and what she needed. He seemed alittle shocked that she really was Satsuki Saiyuri of the Teen Titans. At the end of the night they exchanged email, phone, and calender information. She left the site feeling far better about herself then when she started.

Part Three: Night drawing to a close

She closed her browser and shut the thin machine down. He watched as her room was plunged into darkness. When the small camera's lens refocused he could see a light smile play over her soft lips. He smirked under his mask as she got up and stretched. He changed the music in a separate browser to something slow and sexy as his obsession changed for bed.

A/N That took me a while to do. But I got through it!


	5. Black Sheep

A/N: Welcome to a special holiday chapter. If you really must know who does the music I mention, I'll tell you in a posted playlist.

*Blah Blah about not owning any cool tv shows*  
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Chapter Five: Black Sheep

He had been waiting all week for this. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he was looking forward to a holiday. She had made it so easy, just handing her calendar over. He had gotten to the club early, hoping to get a peek at her. He got more than that, he got the entire sound-check. She was wearing a knee length coat the whole time, so he couldn't get a look at what she was wearing underneath. The group sounded solid as they exited the stage and put the final touches on everything as the audience trickled in. He made his way to a slightly raised platform with a table and waited for the show to start. After about twenty minutes the house lights dimmed and the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers...

"And then, it was time for The HypnoTech to drown in the sweet sorrow... of... The... PLAYLIST!"

Satsuki makes her way on as the band starts. He could see her removing the coat and toss it into the crowd. The lights come on to show her in a short red lolita dress, complete with stockings and heels. Her voice resounds through the club smoothly._"Hello, again, friend of a friend, I knew you when."_She tosses her head from side to side a few times before looking forward again with slightly disheveled hair. The audience, as well as himself eating ever sound, every movement up as the people around him moved with it. Her stage presence was unusual for her, hypnotic and sexy. It seemed perfectly in touch with a deep, smoothly feminine voice. He was suddenly thankful he had a robot filming the show from the rafters, this was something he knew he couldn't keep himself from re-watching.  
The minutes ticked by far too quickly as the song ended. The band, not giving spectators a chance to chat about it, launched into another song. The beat came out dark and sensual. Satsuki knocked her vocals down just a few octaves, making her sound slightly husky._"The paranoia is in bloom. The PR. The transmissions will resume..."_Simply delicious... Time passed, songs were played as they neared the finale. The band goes from a hard Paramore song, to something soft and tragic. The crowd silenced as she sang in the spotlight, her body mimicking a mourner's sway._"And all the wounds that are every going to scar me..."_She clutches her head to act as panic..._"For all the ghosts that are ever gonna..."_She stands still and holds a hand out at the last lyrics, staring with wide eyes. The music is played as the lights dim once more. They exit the stage as a soft roar starts up, calling for an encore. In the dark the note start and the audience erupts with cheers. This final song seems playful._"Did your string come undone? One by one... One by one... Comes to us all, is it soft as your pillow?"_He can tell she spots him in through the darkness, gazing with those eyes...

The fans applaud and the band takes a bow, leaving the stage. The concert goers all file out through the front doors, leaving him standing alone. A bouncer walks up and signals for him to follow. He steps down and is led into the backstage lounge, where he meets with the band members... And her... She gets up from the couch and walks straight up to him. "I see you found the show on my online calendar. Did you have a good time?" Satsuki looks up at him, waiting for an answer. He clears his throat and smiles. "Yes, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Though I wouldn't have pegged you for that type of act." She laughs sweetly and moves back to the couch. He follows her without a word, sitting close next to her. "It's Halloween, a time where you can be something completely different for the night."  
"It must be hectic for your team, you don't know who's the citizens and who's the villains." He grinned at the inside joke. She shrugged, tugging at her short skirt. "I usually have a good sense on that kind of thing. I bet you dress up as Slade for the holiday..." The sentence slapped him, though he didn't let it show. "And what would you mean by that?" He leaned in close to her ear and whispered darkly. "You don't think I'm a dangerous madman, do you? I can be... If it's what you want..." He ran a finger lightly over her knee and chuckled as the skin twitched. She gasped sweetly and moved away from him. Her words stumbling out as she tries to hide a blush. "No no, it's just... that..." She gulps and takes a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "You have a very similar body structure to him, that's all. You remind me of him." He stares back at her, the smile never leaving his lips.  
"And I'm so sure you have a good memory for that, don't you? I bet a strong girl like you has fought all the criminals in this city multiple times." She shakes her head. "Not really, I just have a knack for remembering body types." The owner comes into the lounge and congratulates the group of teens on a great concert. After a few minutes of chatting they are asked to leave so the club can close up for the night. The owner hands Satsuki her long coat and "Wade" walks her to her car. He stops her before she can get in and looks around for anyone. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to dinner with me soon. Tonight didn't seem long enough for a decent face to face meeting and there is only so much the internet can provide." She seems to light up a bit on that and she nods approval. "I would love that, I will be free tomorrow night if that's alright with you." He grins and helps her into the driver's seat. "That's perfect. Meet me at the Belle Inn at seven?" She nods. "I'll see you then." The say goodnight and he watches her tail lights fade into the night.

Slade arrives at his lair a short time later, hooking the camera's memory up to a screen. He lets the concert replay as he watches Satsuki on another. He would have never guessed this Halloween was the best treat he could have asked for. Now to trick a way into her trust...

A/N: I wonder if anyone will guess the songs used in this. PM me if you think you know the setlist. I hope you liked this one. Slade is an old pervert!


	6. Ready to Start

A/N: Welcome back everyone, I missed you all. As you can tell from the last time this story was updated, I did NaNoWriMo for the first time, and WON! I hope my writing has improved since last chapter, it's going to be a long one.  
I also have exciting news, no it's not that I'm back with a brand spanking new chapter… We now have a collaboration going on here! The author known as BobDresden has put his own spin on this story and I've decided to weave his lovely tale into this one. You can find him on DeviantArt under the screen name listed above if you wanted to check out the first couple of chapters of his counter story. A working knowledge of the Dresden Files series will help greatly so you don't get too lost.

**Oh and one more little detail… I am a big reader of the author .Faith-o-saurus. Who is holding a Slade/Starfire one shot contest. Currently I am the only one actually entered and writing. The rules are very simple, first, PM her that you are entering. Then write a one shot of the pairing Slade and Starfire, post it in your stories and let her read it. If you win, Madam .Faith will write you a one shot of any shipping you chose (excluding RobRae). Please join in and write with me!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Teen Titans, or The Dresden Files. The Warden featured in this work of fiction is the property of the author BobDresden.

…..

Chapter Six: Ready to Start.

Part one: The date is set.

"Starfire was right, I actually need to go shopping for myself every once in a while." Satsuki mumbled bitterly as she stared at her well organized closet. Sure she had some pretty clothes hanging in their individual garment bags, but they were only to be worn on special occasions in the Element Countries. 'Wade' had already seen her nicest dress, so she knew it couldn't be worn two nights in a row. "What a fine mess, I have a date in…" She peeked over her shoulder the digital clock on her vanity. "…Four hours and I don't have a thing to wear. How typically female of me." She let out a frustrated groan and closed the sliding paper doors of the closet. "I have enough time to go out and do some shopping before I have to meet Wade, maybe some new clothes will give me the boost I need for this." She paused in the middle of picking her wallet up from the vanity and laughed. A boost, right, like that would ever happen.

The trip was easy. It was facing the store clerk two days in a row that was the hard part. Satsuki walked into the shop that seemed slightly more suited to Raven's style then to herself. The same clerk from the day before looked up as Satsuki leaned onto the counter with her elbows. The young man grinned and flipped a bit of purple streaked hair out of his face. "Welcome back hon. Let me guess, the last outfit was such a hit on stage that you came back to thank me." He said with a semi tell tale lisp, she couldn't tell if it was because he was gay or if it had something to do with the twin barbells sticking out of his tongue. Maybe it was a bit of both.

"Oh it was a hit alright, so much of one that I have a date tonight and once again nothing to wear." The clerk tisked at her and shook his head, causing a dark rainbow of hair to move. "I think we just need to pick out a whole wardrobe for you. You looked good in a lot of what we pulled off the racks for you." Satsuki couldn't help but chuckle at the hours she spent here, searching for that perfect stage outfit. "Well if you still have all of it I believe it would save a great deal of time and effort. I'll go ahead and get it all today so I don't have to make multiple trips here to get something when needed." They spent around twenty minutes gathering the items together and she was out the door with three or four bags of new clothes and accessories chosen for her unusual personality.

She stood in front of the large bathroom mirror a short time later, checking her light makeup and flowing dark blue dress. The nerves started to creep under her skin as the butterflies fluttered relentlessly in her stomach. Would he be the perfect gentleman she hoped? Was she pretty enough for a handsome older man? She was snapped out of her thoughts when there was a knock on her door. "Satsuki, I need to get your ideas for dinner. Pizza or Chinese?" She walked over and hit the button to open the metal door.

"Actually I have plans for dinner, it's up to the rest of you." Robin looked up from the take out menus in his hands and stood in stunned silence at the taller girl before him. She reached forward to lightly push his jaw back into place from where it had dropped almost comically. He sputtered slightly before clearing his throat to speak. "Well you have fun then, I hope you find someone nice to take you out sometime." She laughed darkly at the fact no one seemed to notice anything about her much anymore. "What do you think I am doing tonight? Oh, and don't wait up, I might be out a while. I'll still have my communicator on and with me though." With that she closed the door with a mechanical whirring sound. She wasn't proud in snubbing a friend, but she had to prove a point somewhere. She took one more look into the mirror and left the tower to face her first date.

Satsuki had passed by the Belle Inn so many times over the past few years but never really stopped to truly see it. She stood and looked at its cozy, quaint exterior while waiting for Wade, seeing as she was a few minutes early. It seemed like the kind of Mom & Pop place you wanted to take your vacation in where it would be comfortable in the sprawling concrete jungle. She got a bit too lost in her own thoughts so she didn't notice when Wade had walked up behind her until she felt his strong hands on her shoulders. She jumped about two feet straight up, which was a feat seeing as she was wearing high heels, and spun gracefully to face him. He chuckled lightly, sending her heart into a fast flutter.

"I was worried you were going to melt my face off. I'm sorry I startled you." She put a hand on her chest and smiled, a lightly blush forming on her cheeks. "No no, I was too lost in my own head. It really wasn't your fault." They stood there for a few seconds before Wade offers his arm to young girl. "Shall we?" She snake her arm around his and beams. "Absolutely." They walked into the cozy restaurant together for dinner.

Part two: Things always go according to plan.

He had to be a perfect gentleman for this to work. She looked even more stunning then he could have guessed. He had never seen her in blue, it was lovely and dark against her snow white skin, the fabric synched high in her waist and flowed out to feather around her heavenly curves. He had to keep himself from staring as he pulled her chair out for her and pushed it back in as she got comfortable. It was amazing to watch her reactions, it being so very clear that she had never been on a date in this life time. Why didn't she just draw on the memories of her past lives to get her through the night? Perhaps she wanted something authentic for when another Avatar looked back on this moment. He couldn't exactly ask her out right now could he.

'Wade' sat down in his own chair across the table and smiled handsomely. "I hope you have been feeling better since out chat last week, you seemed to have a lot on your chest for someone so young." Her eyes seemed to dull a bit at hearing that question, as if it were a subject she wanted to avoid. He watched her take a long sip of water, thinking her answer through.

"Yes, I am feeling much better since then. Talking to you helped greatly, the music helps too. Let's just say Lemony Snicket would have a field day with my life." He chuckles darkly and spies an unlit candle on their table. "I wonder where our waiter is, a romantic setting is never complete with candle light." He looked around for anyone who would give them a light, already knowing the answer to the problem. Sure enough he heard her chiming laugh as his head turned away. "Who needs a waiter when you have a firebender sitting at the table?" He turned back to her as she called a tiny flame and lit both taper sticks with it. The flames flickered and cast a small amount of light on her content face.

"Why are you staring at me?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the tiny rainbow in front of her. "I just can't get over how beautiful you look like that." She hid her huffs well, it must be the first time she's heard that word in a long time. After a minute of them staying still the waiter came by with a long lighter and his order pad, confused about how he didn't need to do anything other than ask them what they wanted.

He watched the young man leave to place the order and sighed. "Figures, they show up right when you don't need them." Satsuki grinned at him, her eyes gleaming with flecks of gold in the soft firelight. "Or when you have a mouthful of food and they ask if you want a refill. I swear there's a special school they all go to for timing it like that." He laughed heartily. This was going to be a good night.

The food came right in the middle of a nice discussion on where Satsuki was from. The waiter looked at her funny when the word 'Alaska' came out of her mouth. "Wow, so the whole stereotype about Alaskans being pale as snow is true… Cool." The waiter laughed rudely while the two seated glared up at him. The tiny orange flames of the candles shot up about two feet and turned blue, causing the waiter to scream like a little sissy and run back to the kitchen. "People… Are… Idiots." Slade stared at his date as she frowned after the rude boy.

"You surprise the hell out of me, you know that?" He said in an awed voice, Satsuki turned to look at him. "How so?" Her usually sweet voice came out hushed and irritated for a moment before she lightened it up. "It's just that in public you are always the quiet, kind, sweetheart, yet you've proven tonight that you can have a deep spite." He backpedaled slightly when she raised a midnight eyebrow at him. "Don't get me wrong, I like it. It shows there's more to you then has ever met the eye." He couldn't help the slightly sinister undertone to his comment.

"People who don't really know me get that impression far too easily. They're always looking at Robin or Starfire. It's the price I pay for being the last popular person on the team." An angry scowl fell over her flawless skin, once again surprising Slade. "I'm usually talking to the police while they others are doing short interviews to keep the media at bay. I swear it's like I'm their secretary, no real respect anymore." She looked up to see him quietly listening to her short outburst, causing her to blush deeply and stare at her plate. "I'm so sorry, please don't take any of that the wrong way. I shouldn't be talking about my team when you could be telling me more about yourself." He shook his head slowly, a grin spreading across his lips. "No, I love hearing more about this, it's not like regular people know what goes on in the regular lives of the city's most famous teenagers." They continued on with light conversation throughout the meal when Satsuki seemed to calm down a bit.

The rest of the evening went perfectly as planned, he seemed to have much more information about her past then he did before. And on top of that, she was growing more comfortable with him. By the end of the meal he was able to rest his hand on top of hers without her looking at him oddly. They finished their meal and he walked her to the parking lot, their cars parked right beside each other. "Would it be alright if I called you soon to, perhaps, set up another date?" He asked her cautiously. She smiled brightly up at him and nodded. "I would like that. I'm free anytime unless, you know, the city's under attack." She rolled her eyes and tried to play that last part off as a joke. He laughed lightly and took her hand into his, kissing her ring finger and helping her into the silver Volvo. Yes, this went perfectly indeed. This maybe has turned out to be a better treat then the night before…

Part three: It's vampires again, isn't it?

Playing the date back in her mind, Satsuki smiled to herself as she drove through the city. This had to be the best she had felt in what seemed like forever. She really didn't want to go home just yet and feel weighed down with all the loneliness it brought. How sad that going home ruins your whole day… She hadn't felt that since she left the evil house in Anchorage all that time ago.

She pulled into the parking lot of Jump City's central park and just started walking along the paved walkways, not caring if she was still in her lovely dress and heels. However, around fifteen minutes into her walk, the shoes became a problem and she had to sit for a moment to slip them off. She jumped from her spot on the bench when there was a rustling sound from the bushes across from her, laughing at herself when a squirrel rushed out onto the walkway. 'A bit paranoid there, little one?' Her thoughts mocked her as she returned to walking.

After what felt like just a few minutes she looked at her watch and gasped. "Nearly midnight already?" She was about to turn back and head to her car when she spotted something disturbing, a Warden of the White Council of Wizards sitting on a bench just up ahead. Satsuki's instincts told her this was nothing good as she walked over silently. "Sir Warden, is there something I need to know?" She held back a gasp as the man bolted upright and spun to face her with a stunned expression. She unconsciously shifted in worry, did he think of her as an enemy?

He spoke, breaking the awkward silence. "No, I live near here actually, just thought I would take a walk. Why do you ask?" She sighed heavily and turned downtrodden eyes to the ground. "Well, it's just Wardens have a tendency to show up right after unfortunate things happen… and with the recent explosion of an international airliner…" They shared a moment of mournful silence before she cleared her throat to continue. "I figured it maybe had to do with the Red Court's war." He stared at her in silence once more, she kept forgetting that no one knew who she was. "Please forgive my rudeness. My name is Satsuki Saiyuri." She expends her hand for him to shake. "I am an Elemental Avatar and a born member of the Unseelie Court system. If you don't believe me, I can produce my identification on both fronts." He takes her hand and shakes it softly.

He laughs with a sense of slight amusement, shaking his head and smiling down at her handsomely. "No need, I trust you based on the knowledge of current events alone." She seemed locked on his deep chocolate eyes, they seemed to comfort her and put her at ease. What was with the sudden influx of hot guys noticing her lately? She was forced to look away as she felt the pull of a Soulgaze, there was no way she could allow herself that kind of exposure so soon. She knew her spirit was fragile and in shambles at the moment, letting someone see it would only hurt more.

"I'm sorry, I never asked your name, sir Warden." She looked back up at his face, noting a sharp looking scar on his right cheek that went across the bone. She'd have to ask him about that if they ever met again. There was a slight ashen grayness to his well trimmed hair, she had a sudden urge to reach up and brush a rogue strand away from his face. He smiled coyly down at her, noting her curiosity in his features. "Well it is Thomas. Kind of boring next to someone with your name, but what can I say about that?" She thought about it for a second. "Thomas… I like it." She really did, it seemed to roll right off the tongue. Satsuki laughed lightly and sat down on the bench where he had been sitting a minute ago, staring out across the bay at her lonely home. She felt him sit next to her though she didn't look to see. He inched closer to her, finding her unnatural body heat was a nice way to battle the November night cold.

"To answer your question I've been living in Jump for about a year now, it was designated my hub for Warden meetings when the Council is in our neck of the woods." She nodding slowly to herself and couldn't help but smile. "Thank goodness that's few and far between. Don't they usually meet in Chicago on the worst of occasions?" It was his turn to nod. "Yes, with Warden Dresden. You're right, some of the worst things happen in that area and usually include him." He huffs slightly in distaste. This led Satsuki to remember what happened to her a few years earlier on a team trip to the Windy City.

"I know how you feel, I haven't been back myself. Were you there for the werewolf problem?" He shakes his head. "No, I was there for the zombie attack about a year ago. I still have nightmares." She finally turns to look at him. "I heard about that from an old friend in the Spirit world. Is it true that a group of Necromancers battled it out for an old master's book?" His heavy sigh was all she needed for conformation. "What nonsense. You can't hope to rule a world where you kill everyone in it, seems rather boring." Thomas turned to give her a sideways glance at the oddly tired tone to the young lady's voice. They stared at each other for a minute before she understood why he was looking at her that way. "Think about, what good is a world if you have no one to talk to. I know those kinds of monsters love their privacy, but there has to be a sort of communication with other living, breathing people in order for them to keep any shred of sanity they may ever had." They continued to stare before she just gave up with a shrug.

Satsuki looked at her wrist watch and laughed, taking it off and placing it in her purse. Thomas looked over at her curiously. She grinned back at him and raised an eyebrow. "That's what I get for sitting too long with a wizard…" The two laughed as he realized it had broken. "That's what I get for buying digital I suppose." She gave a laugh laced sigh as the silence crept in once more. She looked up to the stars shining brightly overhead, the twinkling lights gave the night a sense of calm. "I should get home. It was lovely to meet you Mr. Thomas, it was fun talking to someone who understands what it's truly like in this world of ours. Please, be safe in your missions. If you need me…" She runs a finger through her hair and pulls away with a business card with her phone number and the Titan's symbol. "You can contact me at this number, day or night." Satsuki hands it to the fellow peacekeeper with a sweet smile.

"Thank you, and goodnight Madam Avatar." He takes her hand in his and kisses it lightly, causing her to blush slightly. Walking away from the now empty bench there was a sense of sudden loneliness, as she had said, there was someone who truly understood what she could not explain to her team, not even to Raven. She drove back to the Tower, lost in the thoughts of her day. As expected, everyone but Robin had gone to bed seeing at it was passed three in the morning.

Twenty minutes and a few hundred words later, Satsuki reread the post on her glowing computer screen. She had nothing but good things to say for the first time in months, even putting "On cloud 9" as her mood for the evening. One last sentence and her post went into cyberspace for anyone reading. She yawned and took one last glance at the clock before heading to bed. There was one little tiny thing nagging at the back of her mind… Was she so happy from the date, or meeting Thomas? "Maybe I'll figure that one out tomorrow…" Satsuki mumbled as sleep blanketed her body and mind.

Across town there was no doubt who it was for as Slade read her post again, pleased with her version of their little date. He couldn't help but growl when 'his' part came up, the cloaked man who had no business getting in between himself and Satsuki. But there was one small bright side to this worrying little tale, Slade knew this person's name. He would have to pay this Thomas person a little visit soon.

"Maybe things are finally looking up for me." He read her last sentence out loud. "Yes my Avatar, and things are only going to continue to get better…"

A/N: So it would seem Slade has to deal with someone else trying to worm his way into Satsuki's heart. Sorry this took so long to write, the holidays and such. Happy New Year to all my readers.

I told you there were going to be longer! If I'm looking at this correctly, this chapter alone is bigger than the last five chapters… Combined!


	7. Think Twice

A/N: I know, I know, I know. Been too long, I just have not been in the mood to write. Damn you Melimsah and .Faith-o-saurus. for making me want to write again! I've known since the end of last chapter how this one was going to go, I just had to put on the Muse and let the fingers type. Forewarning, I hate writing fight scenes!

Again with not owning any television shows or awesome book series'! Satsuki is mine, Thomas is BobDresden's, okay? On with the show!  
~~~~~~

Chapter Seven: Think Twice

Part One: Warning

_Thomas._ What a simple name. It falls flat against the tongue and has no ring. At least that was what Slade thought as he spent a lazy afternoon searching for his little problem. It had been a few days since his date with the adorable Avatar and he hadn't heard anything from her. It might have something to do with all the recent villain activity. All he had to go by was a onetime meeting and a first name. After three hours into the search Will brought a fresh cup of green tea to replace the cold one already sitting by Slade's arm.

"How cute, you're attempting to track down a virtual unknown just so you can have a teenage girl all to yourself. You never did that for Robin, this one must be special." Slade couldn't tell if his friend was kidding or just plain mocking him.  
"Quite special, as a matter of fact. You wouldn't happen to know any Thomas that run around town in a long cloak, would you?" He scowled as he decided to ignore the first part. Wintergreen shrugged, keeping his eyes on the huge screens. "Long cloak, sounds like a Warden of the White Council of wizards if you ask me. Don't you think he has more in common with her than 'Wade' would?"

That was the comment that made him turn from the screens to glare at the man standing beside him. They stayed like that for a few long seconds. "Don't you have dinner to shop for?" It was all he needed to say for Wintergreen to smile politely and shuffle off to make his shopping list. Slade pinched the bridge of his nose before turning back to his search. He could see the man's face in his mind, so why couldn't he find him?

The frustration dragged on for what felt like another three hours before his brand new cell phone rang. Slade let it ring until he recognized the tone, it was her. It had been a few days since his date with the adorable Avatar and hadn't heard anything from her. Maybe it really was because of all the recent villain activity.  
With a grin he answered. "Wilson speaking." Without skipping a beat Satsuki's sweet voice chimed in his ear.  
"I would hope so, it is your phone." They both chuckled lightly. "Just calling to say I'm still thinking of you. Work got a bit hectic if you haven't seen the news lately, but I would still like to see you again." His grin grew wider as he pictured her sitting at the dinner table, thinking of him as her team chattered around her. He was about to speak when a beep came on over the line. "Would you hang on for just a minute, I'm getting another call." She agreed and he switched lines to hear Will say only one short sentence. "Camera Three."

That was all he needed to know, in a second he had turned to the camera in question. Sure enough, standing behind Will in the produce department stood the mystery man. "I've got you now you little pest." He hissed, hearing and seeing Will chuckle. "You're welcome." The line went dead. Slade quickly switched it back over to the waiting girl. "Can I call you back. Something just came up that I have to take care of."  
"Of course, I should be free to talk to later tonight. Goodbye." He mumbled a quick goodbye, ending the call. It was time to end this little problem now, who knows what kind of wrench this man could throw into the plans he so carefully made. Slade suited up and headed out to hopefully finish this off.

He found Thomas in an alleyway, walking home with a small bag of groceries. The younger man frowned and dropped the bag on seeing Slade step in front of him. "Well isn't this just lovely. What do you want this time?" Slade gave a silent huff. "Same thing I wanted the last time. I told you that if you got between me and what I wanted you would pay. I'm just here to make sure you don't get in my way."  
Thomas cracked a fierce grin and drew his daggers. "If this is about Satsuki, you can forget it. I won't let someone like you have her. She's too kind for a monster like you." He slid into a battle stance as Slade extended his bo-staff. "Oh if only Satsuki could see this, two men fighting over her. Don't you think it would make her feel a bit special?" The older man mocked.

Thomas scowled, preparing for what he knew would be an intense fight. "She doesn't need to see this to know there's nothing like her." He held a hand out in a 'stop' motion toward Slade and yelled. "Scutum Terram!" A tall, semi-spike wall of earth rose up between them with loud cracking noises. People walking by the alley ran off in fear, calling for someone to call the police or the Titans.

"Interesting… Didn't you learn from the last time that your magic wouldn't help you again me?" Slade said lowly in a calm voice as he dashed over the wall, using the spikes to gain leverage. He came down fast with his Staff, causing Thomas to block fast. It was clear who had the upper hand. They fought fiercely for around five minutes. Finally Thomas saw a final opening at Slade's midsection as the taller one swung his staff. He managed to get off a fast stab before the staff connected with his rib cage, breaking several of his bones. Both men pulled away, holding their sides.

In a last ditch effort to keep himself alive before help could arrive, Thomas shouted one spell to gain a new shield. "Asylum Terram!" A thick earthen dome closed over him, halting the fight as Slade could hear the Titans. "It would seem we have to end this off a bit early. Enjoy your time with her while you can, but if I hear anything about it later, you will pay dearly." The villain whispered, backing into the late afternoon shadows as the teenage heroes approached. Thomas stood, holding his aching side as warm arms helped keep him from falling to the ground.

Part Two: Please keep your hands, feet, and heart inside the ride at all times.

_Well that's new.._.

Satsuki had been behind Cyborg as they ran to the scene of a loud fight that was rumored to have Slade involved. What she saw when the tall metal teen moved aside made her raise an eyebrow. A large dirt and concrete dome sat in the middle of the alley way, just sitting there.  
"What… is that?" Was all Robin could ask in a slight sense of awe. Soft laughter was starting to bubble up in Satsuki as she started to figure out what that was and who might be inside. "Oh you have got to be kidding!" She walked up to the dome and began tapping it in places, laughter starting to take over as her suspicions were confirmed. "This is just too much…" With one strike of stiff fingers the dome began to crack down the middle and it simply fell apart, leaving a swearing wizard scrabbling in panic.

She doubled over as he darted a few feet, obviously unsure as to how his dome cracked so easily. "Wh… What the hell! How… Where did you…" She held up a hand to stop him. "Deep breath." The man complied. "It's called Earth bending, remember our conversation a few nights ago?" He nodded as his head began to clear. "So that gives you the power to break things like that?" She grinned as the other Titans started taking care of the media. "Actually that was kind of light for me…" They stared at each other for a moment before he slumped, adrenaline fading. She rushed to keep him from falling over.  
"You don't look good…" Concern edged in her voice. He snorted tiredly. "I know I'm not the hottest guy there is, but that still stings." She rolled her eyes at his attempt at a light hearted snarky comment. "We have to get you healed up, there's a nice hospital…" She stumbled as he tried to jerk out of her grasp. "No hospitals!" They stayed quiet for a moment before the reason clicked in her mind. "You're right, I'm sorry. I think people on life support want to stay there for now…" She looked over to see Starfire float over to see what the little outburst was about.

"Is your injured friend against the building of white coated healers?" The alien looked between the two. Satsuki knew she was going to have to explain magic to the older teen later. "Not exactly Star, it would just be a bit problematic his he was around vital medical equipment for extended periods of time." The redhead gave a blink of confusion before shrugging and floating back over to stand next to Robin.

"This is going to sound a bit weird, ever wondered what the inside of Titan's Tower looked like?" Satsuki suggested, Thomas gave a skeptical look in return. "Isn't that place full of technology and work mostly on elevators?" The girl's jade eyes gleamed cutely. "Not if we take the skyway approach…" Another round of silence passed as she waited for him to ask. He finally caved, unable to resist. "Alright, I'll bite. How are we taking this 'skyway approach'?" He even used air quotes to get the point across. Her grin only got bigger. "I'm so glad you asked…"

Within a few minutes the two were soaring through the city's skyline on a giant paper airplane heading for her home base. The closer they got to the bay, the closer he got to her. "Why so clingy all of the sudden? You should be more focused on that wrist of yours." She glanced behind to see said wrist pressed again the natural arch in her back. "I don't like water…" Was the only answer she got. She stayed at that level as he pressed against her back. "I'm not going to let anything happen, you've been through enough today." They hovered outside a large window somewhere high up on the tower as she opened it, turning her airplane into a platform that let the two walk into a fluorescently lit media ward.

"Take a seat, would you like me to put your groceries in a refrigerator to keep them cool?" Satsuki asked as she took his bag for him. "That would be nice, thanks." He slid into a comfortable examination chair, groaning along the way. "So how are you going to do this?" He called over his shoulder to the girl putting perishable goods in a small fridge and filling a basin with warm water.

"It's all very simple. I use the water to set and mend the bones and heal any flesh wounds. The setting is the only thing that's going to hurt, so I hope you're ready for that…" Another groan as she set the basin beside him. She smiled sweetly at him as she pulled the water slowly. "Please remove your cloak and shirt, I have to run a couple of tests to see what is broken." He grinned as he did as asked, exposing a well toned torso. "You work out…" He shrugged, wincing at his ribs. "I like to stay in fighting shape." She laughed lightly at the irony. "Would you like morphine? It's going to be quite painful without it." He grinned up at her, trying to seem tough. "Are you kidding, I can take anything you give me." She raised an eyebrow and began to see what needed healing.

After several minutes she started resetting his ribs. Each pop and crack elicited a yell or small scream as his already bleeding knuckles grabbed the arm rests harder. "Can't you be just a little more gentle then that?" He yelled as she popped another rib to its original location. She huffed and took a step back. "I thought you could take it Mr. Macho Warden. I dislocated my bad hip last week and didn't so much as flinch when they re-set it." He glared up hearing her smugness. "You're a freak, you know that?"

She laughed and moved onto his various cuts and scrapes, moving her warm soft hands over his skin. She made her way to his knuckles and left wrist. "It helps that I haven't had any feeling in that hip since the werewolf incident in Chicago." He watched her hands sliding gracefully over his flesh and gulped. He was brought out of his very personal thoughts when she stopped.

"I'm done re-setting everything, you can relax now." He looked to see what she was talking about, finding that he was still gripping the arm rests so tightly the knuckles were still white. "Oh sorry, I was distracted…" He tried to relax them, but strangely couldn't. She took one of his hands into her own and started to massage them. "Don't worry, I have the best hands for that." He gulped again and looked her over a couple of times. "…And you say there's no feeling in that hip?" She nods and frowns. "Blame Dresden…"

He pulled his hand away and took a deep breath. They stared at each other, never focusing on eyes for too long before he finally settled his hands on her feminine hips. "That's too bad, I was hoping you could feel this…" She watched him in a stunned silence as his hand slid up her hip to her waist. "Thomas, what are you doing?" He pulled her down to his level and held her in place. "Something I should have done the night I met you…" He leaned in and kisses her firmly.

Satsuki hesitated at first, but he felt her relax into it slowly. Her hands gripped his muscled arms as if in invitation as he pulls her closer. Within seconds she pulled away from him completely, a look of guilt clear on her pale face. "That… that was wrong. I'm sorry, I can't…" She rushes from the room, leaving a half naked Warden still in the chair, gaping after her.

Part Three: Come around, come around, no more.

"I'm sorry, I can't…"

Slade stared at the broken tea cup in absolute disgust. How dare that filthy wizard take such liberties with his Avatar. Wasn't it clear how upset this made her? Oh well, it just meant he would have to pick up the pieces and console her guilt ridden heart. He sighed in malicious content and picked up the phone. He had promised to call her back after all, but now it was time to make more of a move. Two kisses in one night, such a lucky little girl, wasn't she?

The line rang a few times as he clicked her bedroom's camera, watching her stare at the number before answering with a strange calm. "Hello?"

…

A/N: CLIFFHANGER! Yes I am that evil! Well, maybe not evil, just lazy and not wanting to write the conversation.

And so the love triangle sharpens… Who will she choose in the end? The hell if I know, that's who! I hope you enjoyed this one, I worked closely with the author of the counter story, mainly 'cause I suck at fight scenes. No really, his is far better. But my romance and conflict scenes rock. ;P

This chapter was heavily influenced by the song Think Twice by a wonderful '90s band called Eve 6. Listening to it while reading might help.

Leave a review kiddies. Because reviewing fuels the power that is Meeeee. *wrings fist* Sorry, way too much Invader Zim lately.

Also, check out BobDresden's counter story on DeviantArt. His side is going up soon so be sure to catch it.


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